Change
by jujuluck
Summary: It's ten years later and Mick and Beth both face the challenge of change. Marriage and turning, can they do it, or will it be disaster for them both? I wrote this in December 07 so I updated it to fit with all the canon that has come after. R&R's welcome!


She had been lying awake for some time. Pondering life in all its twists and turns. It would be Christmas soon and then her birthday. Another year gone by, and she had made up her mind. _Today I will tell him_.

She heard the bedroom door open and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She heard his all too familiar footsteps next to her. She heard something being set on her nightstand, then the padding of feet back around the other side of the bed.

The bed sank a little as he slid under the covers to lie next to her. Gentle and quiet, she felt him cuddle up behind her, draping his arm around her waist. His breathing was slow and calm, but she could feel his heart beat a little faster than normal against her back.

"I'm awake, you know." Beth said in a whisper.

"I know. I just didn't want to disturb your thoughts." He said, brushing her hair away from her neck and ear, leaving them vulnerable to his breath.

A chill went up her spine as his breath caressed her ear. He began to plant soft, slow kisses along the back of her neck. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and pressed her body against his, intertwining their legs.

"Your feet are cold." She said with a little gasp.

"Sorry, just came from the freezer. Maybe you could help me warm up." Mick said teasingly, as he slid the strap of her camisole down off her shoulder.

"You never did have to ask me twice." She said teasingly, rolling over to face him. "Good afternoon, handsome."

"Hello love." Pulling her closer, Mick asked playfully, "What would you like to do today?"

"Oh a little of this." Beth said, kissing him seductively, "A little of that." Running her fingernails up his spine. She knew that was not what he meant, but she wanted something very different from him today.

The look in his eyes told her he still hungered for her, even after all these years. She needed him just as much, maybe now was the time to tell him she had decided. _Tell him now, while you can still think coherently Beth._

He rolled onto his back taking her with him. She sat up, straddling him, and pulled the camisole over her head and looked down, searching his luminescent eyes. He was beautiful, dark, handsome, and young. _I'm getting old_. Did he look at her and see the time slipping by, the clock slowly running out on their time together. She would be 38 this next birthday, and he would be forever 30.

"You're beautiful Beth. You always will be." Mick said, pulling her down to place kisses on her neck and lips.

Somehow he always knew what she was thinking. But this time he had no idea the depth of her resolve. He would never think it possible of her, never think of her wanting it. She once told him she never wanted to make that decision but now she regretted saying it, like she regretted so many things she once said. She did think of it though, not so much in the beginning of their romance, but after 10 years together she thought of it daily.

She felt his hands moving, caressing her body. His tongue and mouth finding all the right places to sweep all thought from her mind. There would be time enough today to tell him. Right now she would make love to this wonderful being she so desperately needed.

They would have eternity, later.

_Today I will ask to become a vampire_.

_**lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll**_

He was snuggled up behind her, his breathing slow and calm. He had fallen asleep after their lovemaking. It was after all, the middle of the night to him. She however, had other things on her mind, like becoming a vampire. One small hitch, one unbelievable, beautifully wrapped hitch. She lay there staring at the little box on her nightstand.

It was the thing she heard him set on her nightstand this morning. She had not even noticed it until a few minutes ago. She knew what it was, knew what she would find when she untied the delicate blue bow. _Oh god, he's going to ask me to marry him_.

This makes everything more complicated. _Yes Mick, I'll marry you, right after you turn me into a vampire!_ Why did it have to be today of all days. She wanted him to know she was serious about the change. There was nothing to debate anymore, if she was going to spend the rest of her life with Mick, it sure as hell wouldn't be while she got old and wrinkled. She wanted to be young with him forever.

Mick stirred beside her laid his hand upon her arm and said, "I love you Beth."

"I love you too, Mick." She said reflexively. Thinking better of it she rolled over to face him.

Searching his face she realized that she had to tell him now, right now. She couldn't let him ask her before she asked to become a vampire. The meaning would be different after he spoke those words.

"There's something for you next to the bed, love." Mick said tenderly.

"Mick, I want you to turn me." She blurted before he could go any farther.

The look on Mick's face stopped her heart. He was shocked, nauseated and saddened all at once. He looked as though she had stabbed him through the heart. For a moment neither could move nor say anything. Slowly she watched his face change into the mournful character she hadn't seen in years. Mick sat up and turned his back to her.

His head sunk into his hands and he said softly, "Why?"

"Because it's what I want." Beth said with sincerity.

"You don't want to be vampire Beth. I've always known you would never turn."

"Why? Because I had doubts years ago? Because I was wasn't thinking of anything but my fear of the unknown? Because you think I'm scared? You think I'm not ready, that I'll never be ready, but I am. I'm ready Mick."

Beth came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Placing small kisses on his shoulder she sighed. She didn't want this to become an argument but she could see it was heading in that direction.

"You can never be ready for the change." Mick said with certainty.

"Well then, there's no sense in waiting. If I'll never be ready then I'll just have to do the best I can. But I will have you to guide me. I'm asking you to be my lover and my sire. We can make it something beautiful."

At that, Mick broke from her embrace and got up to pace beside the bed. She could tell he was thinking, even considering it. Maybe she had gotten through to him. Maybe this was going to be easier than she ever dared hope. She watched tolerantly as he paced, and thought, and fretted. She hoped he wouldn't make this any harder on either of them.

Abruptly he stopped pacing and looked at her saying, "Beth, I never got the chance to choose this life but you do. I just don't think that this is the right choice for you."

Surprised and a little angered at his words she said, "Really? What choice do I have if I _don't_ become a vampire? All _I'll_ be able to do is grow old and die." She tried to calm herself and stood up, taking his hands in hers.

"I choose eternity, Mick. You're going to live forever and I want to be there with you. There is no other choice for me except to lose you someday. I can't except that and I hope you don't want that either." She said, trying to be persuasive.

As they stood there holding each other's hands, she could feel his trepidation, but she also felt hope kindle in him. Maybe they could spend forever together.

"What if I refuse to turn you?" Mick said honestly.

"I'm sure Josef wouldn't mind doing the deed." Beth said mock playfully.

"Don't joke Beth. I would never let him near you like that."

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood a little."

"This is not something to take lightly." Mick brushed her cheek with his fingers saying, "I need to think about this Beth. I can't just… I need time to think."

All of a sudden his touch was gone. Silently she watched as he went to get clothes from the dresser and then he was gone, shutting the door behind him. It was like a door shutting in her heart. She knew this was hard for Mick but it was hard for her as well. He had no idea what it was like to face your own mortality every day. To be reminded you're your going to wither and die while your companion stays young and beautiful forever.

She sighed and began to make the bed. There was nothing more she could do until he had time to process. They would find a way to make it through this. _All couples have disagreements now and then, although it's usually not about drinking blood for the rest of your life._ She would have to get used to that, she would have to get used to a lot of things. As she fixed the pillows her gaze drifted to the nightstand and the missing box.

She would see it again.

She _hoped_ she would see it again.

_**llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll**_

The door was open for him, as it always was. Mick nodded to the guard and continued into the house. This would be hard, but better than going home. The living room was empty. He was grateful there was no audience to his pain. He walked to the glass wall that separated him from the thriving metropolis he called home. He put his palm on the glass and sighed. His mind was a muddle of images and thoughts, his emotions too unstable to give any peace.

"It went that bad?" Josef asked.

Mick was so overwhelmed he hadn't even heard him approach.

Without looking at him, Mick said, "I never even got the chance to ask."

Josef was quiet. Mick knew that Josef was prickly when it came to emotions, particularly when Mick talked of Beth, but he needed a friend right now.

"She asked me to turn her, Josef. Before I could even ask her to marry me, she just laid it on the table. She says she's ready now, that she was getting old and wanted to spend forever with me while she was still young."

"You knew this would happen sooner or later. Judging by your tragic _visage_, you just hoped for later, much later." Josef mused.

Mick turned to face him. "No quips tonight Josef, I need a friend not a judge."

"You honestly didn't see this coming, did you?" Josef said while sitting on the couch to study his morose friend.

"I knew it would come up again, I just wasn't ready for it. I never thought I would even consider it, but­­–"

"So you _are_ considering turning her then?" Josef asked taken aback.

"I don't want to turn her Josef. I just want to be happy with her, for as long as I can."

"Have you thought about her happiness?"

Mick glared at Josef just long enough to show his agitation, then gave up and retreated to the couch. Josef always did have a gift for holding up the mirror at uncomfortable times. Of course he had thought about her happiness. He thought about it all the time. He just didn't believe becoming a vampire was the answer.

"You knew it would come down to this eventually, my friend. Vampires and humans were never meant to mingle." Josef chuckled. "Unless of course, it's for lunch."

Brushing off another of Josef's attempts at humor, Mick leaned forward and put his head in his hands. His insides were twisted and he felt ill. He always thought he and Beth would have more time before they hit this crossroad. Sometimes it felt as if only a year or two had passed, but change comes slower when you live forever. Beth didn't have forever.

"I can't sire Beth, I don't know why, I just can't." Mick said agonizingly.

There was silence. Mick knew that Josef would not have the answer, it just felt good to share the burden. All these years he and Beth had been together Josef had been the voice of fellowship, encouraging their relationship, not criticizing it. Josef got up to slowly pace the floor. Mick looked up at his long time friend and could tell that Josef was holding back.

"Go on Josef, you owe me honesty at least."

Josef stopped pacing and looked Mick dead in the eyes, all façades dropping away to reveal agitation and disappointment. "You want honesty? Honesty would be you turning Beth, and moving on. If she wants to be turned, I say turn her and then our secret is truly safe. All these years I've been uncomfortable with how much she knows, how deeply you've let her delve into our world. Your love affair will never last unless you turn her, and even then it still may not." Josef paused to see how Mick was reacting, it didn't seem to be hitting home so he plunged deeper into the heart of the matter. "You don't want her to become a vampire because _you_ have always loathed being what you are, and you're afraid she will embrace it like you never have. That's what honesty buys you, my friend."

It was Mick's turn at pacing. Everything that Josef said was true. Not that Mick wanted to face it, but he had come to the crossroads and it was time to choose his direction. _Why does every choice feel like the wrong one?_

"I don't know Josef. I just don't know"

Frustration getting the better part of him, Josef replied, "Yes you do. You just choose not to face it. You've never been able to stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. First Coraline and now Beth, when does it stop Mick?" Josef stood in front of him, blocking Mick's pacing. Putting his hand on Mick's shoulder he said, "You're a vampire, you always will be. Even the cure was only temporary. There is no going back. Embrace it, bring Beth into the fold and things will be easier, for everyone."

Mick looked up, surprise written on his face. "Really?" Brushing Josef's hand away he turned his turmoil into spiteful words. "Just turn her like Coraline turned me and suddenly all is right with the world?"

Josef sighed. "It wouldn't be like Coraline at all. Beth is making a choice. And you… you are not Coraline."

It was true. Mick had done everything he could to make sure he was nothing like Coraline. Redemption was something he sought everyday. Would Beth be the same? Years from now would she want no part of this new vampire life and turn her back on him. Would she hate what she had become? Would she hate him for turning her? There was no way to know, which was the crux of the matter. _Do I dare take the chance?_

Mick felt defeated and broken. "I'm sorry Josef. Maybe you're right, I just don't know whether I can take that chance." He didn't want hostility between himself and Josef.

The agitation in Josef's face dissipated to be replaced by a rye smile. "There's always me as her sire. Just say the words and she's a vamp."

Mick turned his stare on Josef and said, "Don't even think about it, _my friend_."

He hoped Beth and Josef were not in on this together. Josef turning Beth was out of the question. _With a sire like Josef, Beth would be…what would she be?_ He tried to suppress his anxiety and took a deep breath as Josef began to speak.

"All I'm saying is if Beth is serious about this, she will find a way. Your woman is quite resourceful. Play it smart and turn her. Turn her and teach her your way. If you don't, she may turn to someone else and I know you don't want that"

"You wouldn't." Mick demanded.

"I'm just telling you how it is. Don't turn her and lose her for sure, or turn her and risk losing her still. It's your choice, I won't interfere." Josef's cell buzzed.

Mick was left standing there, as Josef picked up his cell phone and motioned he had to take the call. Josef walked out of the room, leaving Mick in solitude once again.

It was his choice. _Do I even have a choice? _Josef was right, he was right about a lot of things and Mick was glad Josef hadn't held back. In all the years he had been with Beth, Mick realized he had avoided a lot of questions. He had also avoided the warning signs that the crossroads were upon him. He couldn't avoid things any longer. He would have to decide.

"Are you going home tonight?" Josef said re-entering the room.

"I don't think I can. I'm not ready."

"Stay then, and sleep on it. You know where the guest freezer is."

"Thanks again Josef, for everything." Mick said sincerely.

"Don't get all "touchy-feely" on me, I haven't even planned Beth's Vamping Out party, yet."

"I haven't even decided on Beth's Vamping Out, yet."

_**llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll**_

She hadn't eaten anything all day and her stomach was in knots. _He should be home by now. What could possibly be keeping him?_ She tried doing some work but just couldn't concentrate. Giving up, she closed the laptop, lay down on the couch and tried to rest. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions but she found it easier to lay still and listen intently for the sound of the front door. It was quiet in their place, so quiet she couldn't help but focus on the sound of the tick, tick, tick coming from the clock. It was matching the beat, beat, beat of the heart pounding in her chest. It was annoying but rhythmic and she found herself drifting off into a light sleep.

She opened her eyes and realized a long time had passed, the sun had set and the apartment was dark. She sat up and turned on one of the lights and jumped a little as she saw Mick sitting in one of the chairs watching her.

"I didn't mean to scare you." Mick said softly.

"What were you doing sitting in the dark? How come you didn't wake me when you got home? You know I've been on pins and needles all day." She said exasperatedly.

"I told you I would be gone most of the day. When I got home and found you sleeping, I didn't have the heart to wake you. You looked… you looked so peaceful."

"I don't feel peaceful, I feel like I've been sitting on a porcupine."

Mick chuckled. "You could have fooled me." He got up to sit next to her on the couch, taking her into his embrace. "I love you."

She was worried and the tone of his voice did not bode well. It had been two weeks filled with endless discussions, pleading, lovemaking and arguments, before he had agreed. He was going to turn her. She pulled away from his grasp to look him in the eyes. "You're not changing your mind are you?"

There was a long pause then Mick took her face in his hands and pulled her close to brush his lips against hers. "No." Was all he whispered, kissing her so delicately she thought her heart would burst.

She was under his spell again. Closing her eyes, she drifted into the delicate kisses being placed on her face and neck. Sometimes she felt like a porcelain doll that might shatter with too rough a touch and he knew when she felt this way. She needed assurances, assurances that things were going to be all right, that after tonight everything would be different but better. He needed the same.

He was unbuttoning her shirt and sliding it down her arms to lie forgotten on the floor. She felt light kisses like a delicate flower caressing her skin. Goose flesh rippled all over and she felt his tongue graze her ear. He pulled her to sit on his lap, holding her like a lover, like a weightless child. He stopped to look at her.

"Beth… I need to know if you still want this. There will be no turning back, ever."

There was no need for him to ask, but she understood he needed permission again and again for what he was and what he was going to make of her. That was just part of the man she loved. He had agreed to the turning but she knew a part of him was rebelling at every opportunity. He still couldn't fully comprehend that she wanted this with all her body, and all her soul. She would just have to prove it to him.

"I want this Mick." She leaned in to say breathlessly in his ear. "I swear I want this. No looking back, no regrets. Forever Mick."

"I love you Beth." He said crushing her to him.

"I love you, I'll love you forever."

She felt his lips and tongue slid down her skin and along her neck. She felt him hesitate and then a sudden piercing pain and then pleasure, sexual and erotic. He was drinking slowly as he ran his hands along her back, nails ever so gently raking up and down her spine. Desire and reverence swelled in her and she truly understood why in all these years he had never taken blood from this part of her. She had asked him why once, and he said it would feel like a violation of her trust to take blood from such a vulnerable place. But she knew it was because this spot above all else could mean the end of her life. She knew that he could drain her and leave her for dead. She felt the strong pull within her neck as he drew even more deeply and she felt powerless but strangely fearless. This was only the end of her old life, not the end of life itself.

Unexpectedly the pulling sensation stopped and Mick lips left her skin. He pulled her away just far enough so she could see his face. His eyes were the pale colorless orbs that pierced her very being. His mouth was blood tinged, his face pale slightly menacing. She searched his face and found all the tell tale signs of the Mick she loved. This vampire shroud changed nothing. She would look like this when she fed or couldn't control the vampire within. She was not afraid.

"I'm not afraid of you Mick. I can see through those colorless eyes to the man I love. You will never be a monster to me." Beth said lovingly.

"I know." Mick said quietly. "I just wanted to look at you one last time before… before things change forever."

She pulled him to kiss her lips once more and then she guided him back to her neck. "Drink my love. I want to be with you forever."

She felt his teeth slide back into her skin and regain the now familiar sensation of blood leaving her veins. Relaxing her body, she ran her fingers through his hair and tried to keep her eyes open. Moment after moment passed and she became aware of her body weakening. The point of dangerous blood loss was approaching. It was surprising how quickly he could draw the massive amounts of blood the body contained. She understood why accidental deaths could happen if you weren't careful.

The light was getting harder to focus on and she felt dizzy, lightheaded. Closing her eyes, she licked her dry lips. Her mouth tasted of cotton and she was thirsty beyond all reckoning. Dark spots began to fade in and out of her vision and her arms became weak, dropping to her sides. She was at his mercy now. If he stopped, she supposed she would recover but she held a silent prayer that Mick's resolve wouldn't crumble, not now. Her heartbeat began to throb in her ears and she heard a strange echo of crying, at least she thought it was crying. Was she crying? No, she felt her face dry and slack, lips pulled in a slight smile of pleasure and pain.

Her consciousness wavered and she couldn't tell whether she had blacked out or not. She felt very far away but she knew that she was lying on the couch and Mick was bent over her. Her vision flickered then solidified into his beautiful face. It was fuzzy but she could tell there were tears running down his cheeks. She tried to smile and reach a hand out to him but couldn't make her arm move. _So, this is what I've done to my love_, she thought wistfully. Her vision fading to black as she fought to stay conscious. _I'm so sorry my love, please forgive me._ The blackness was complete and she felt strangely at peace.

_**llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll**_

She awoke to thick liquid slithering down her throat, igniting a flame she never knew existed. She could feel every muscle, every fiber of her being, singing, as a wave of hot fire slid slowly down the length of her body. She was burning, or at least it felt that way. She gasped, eyes shooting open while bolting to a sitting position. She was breathing heavy and fast, her vision swimming.

"It will pass quickly. You need to drink more." She heard a voice say.

A cold hand was placed on her neck, instantly quelling the fire on her skin, pulling her down to a bloody gash on creamy skin. She knew she must drink, thirst was gnawing at her and somehow she knew this blood was her salvation. Beginning to suck from the wound, she became unaware of time passing, unaware of the steady rocking of their two intertwined bodies. A hand stroked her hair as sweet words she couldn't comprehend were whispered in her ear. She was only aware of the steady suckling, aware of the slow strengthening of her limbs, the heightening of her senses. Smells became sharper, closer, and more tangible. She could smell the blood she was drinking and she could certainly smell a very different kind of blood scent coming from the closed door farther away. It was mingled with the closer, more titillating scent of skin and testosterone just millimeters away. She smelled all this and more.

Her vision was another matter, the only light in the room became a blazing sun. It hurt to look, so she shut her eyes and tried to focus on another sense. She discovered her hearing was becoming more acute by the minute, it was picking up the sound of the refrigerator's compressor and the muffled sound of city life behind the thick glass windows. The most erotic of it all was the tandem beat of her heart and the heart that pulsed in her lover's chest. All other sounds faded away as their hearts beat like a drum inside her head.

She was amazed and awed. Tears began to fall down her face. She was struck by the overwhelming beauty of life and love in all its forms, and she was crying harder and harder, her sobs giving proof of overflowing emotions. In one heart wrenching moment she knew she was being taken from the fountain of life she was drinking from to be laid back on the couch. It was too much, these emotions were consuming her, and she was slipping into a dark void. The only sound she heard was a voice whispering, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry my love," and then she heard no more.

_**lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll**_

The sound of water running was the first thing she noticed, then soft footsteps a short distance from where she lay. Memory was slowly returning and with it came the flood of experiences during the turning. Content for the moment to process all this information in secrecy, she resisted the urge to open her eyes. She must be a vampire now. She tested the senses she knew should be heightened. It wasn't overwhelming anymore but there was an incredible difference. It was as if she had lived all her human life half deaf with no sense of smell. She couldn't fight the impulse to open her eyes any longer, she wanted to see as a vampire saw. The world was vivid! Colors bright and complex filled her vision. She looked to the bookcase across the room and could make out even the smallest of titles.

He must have seen her open her eyes because she felt him come over to her. He was a sight to behold looking through new eyes. This amazing man, this exquisite form, her lover and sire, forever. His movements carried a graceful purpose yet she could see the lines of tension in his body. He was afraid and anxious, and she remembered all the reasons why. He came to kneel on the floor as if in supplication, bowing his head and sighing, saying nothing.

"Don't be afraid Mick. I could never hate you. And this was… just amazing." She said with wonder, a smile breaking on her face.

He looked up, hope blazing on his face like the brightest of suns. She saw it then, all his thoughts, plastered in her consciousness like he had spoken them, only no sound escaped his lips. He was hoping beyond hope that she was not filled with sorrow. He had mistaken her crying for regret, knowing there was no way to undo what he had begun and assuming she was already morning the loss of her human life. He was mistaken and she thought about the shift in consciousness she had undergone during the change.

Beth sat up and reached out a hand, placing it on his cheek. He leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. She was still in a dreamy state of calm and heard the words in her head clear as day, _I'm so sorry Beth, I would undo it if I could_.

"Why would you undo it Mick?" She said innocently.

"What?!" Mick replied startled.

"I asked why would you undo it? That was, what you said, wasn't it" She said, feeling fully awake for the first time.

She saw the look of astonishment on his face as he said, "I didn't _say_ anything."

A sense of wonder overcame her. _Did I heard his thoughts! _She sat back trying to analyze the meaning of this.

He cocked his head to the side and a small smile and relief lighted his face. "It means that we have been given a rare gift, my love." He reached out both hands and caressed her face. He pulled her to him and kissed she gently_. It means we can no longer hide from one another; we have been bonded in a way I never expected, nor dared hope for_.

She heard it again, just as clear. He was speaking in her mind. "I'm not imaging this? We can hear each others thoughts?" Beth said with disbelief.

_Work called while you were sleeping._

"Why are you talking about work at a time like this?" Beth said peevishly. Not understanding the test he had just performed.

Mick didn't say anything, he just sat there, emotions a jumble in his heart and his mind wide open to her. True realization dawned on her, they would be able to hear each other thoughts and sense each other emotions at any time. He would never be able to hide from her again. He was an open book to her now and she felt powerful because of it. _Are you ok with this Mick?_ She felt him begin to relax a little and sensed his mood lighten with every passing moment.

"Beth, I was worried that something had gone wrong… that I had made a terrible mistake." His voice was taut with emotion.

She understood his torment now with profound empathy. She could feel what this act of turning had cost him. He believed he would loose her, he imagined a sorrowful being that would recoil at her sire and dread the eternity that awaited. He thought she would be like him. _Your wrong my love_. _I feel relived and joyous and I will show you._

Getting up from the couch she moved lightly to his small refrigerator and was surprised to find it packed with blood. _You did say a newly turned vampire needs lots of blood._ Bringing out a large bottle, she grabbed two glasses and returned to him. He was still kneeling on the floor, the look of disbelief on his face and hope in his heart. Setting the glasses and the bottle on the coffee table she pulled him to sit next to her. She poured two tall glasses and offered him one.

Beth held the glass to her nose, she actually liked the scent. She had always thought blood smelled of old coins but now the aroma was far more complex and sweet. She pictured the lovely middle-aged man that sat in a donation chair at the Red Cross, giving what he could to save a life. Only he wasn't saving a life so much as he was providing sustenance for someone he never knew existed. She drank deeply and was not surprised that she enjoyed the taste. Mick however, was shocked. It was written on his face, there was no need to search his thoughts or feelings. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Mick took a drink from his own glass while Beth drained the remains of hers. She poured another glass and polished it off in mere moments. Mick set his glass down and sat studying her. He was feeling perplexed and a little intimidated. Beth smiled, _I wish you wouldn't stare, sweetheart, it isn't nice_. She was feeling invigorated and playful. _I told you a thousand times I wanted this, you just wouldn't let yourself believe it_.

"Maybe not but… I just don't want to loose you. Not to a mortal death or the hunger that drives most vampires." He said warningly.

She felt the warning, the underlying current of experience being imparted. She also knew that she could never be as tormented as him. The turning had set her free, there was no reason to recoil from the vampire she now was. She would embrace it and help him to finally embrace it in himself as well. _You should be able to feel the truth of it. I don't hate what I've become and I could never do anything but love you_. She reached out to hug him and found herself safe in his arms. He had feared her turning and now that fear was washing away with every moment that passed. She kissed him gently, parting his lips and tasted him, really tasted him for the first time.

Something unexpected happened. It must have been the taste of blood in their mouths or the closeness of him, but she felt her teeth lengthen into fangs for the first time. She broke form the kiss to lean back and feel the sharp teeth with her tongue. _What does it feel like to actually bite someone?_

Worry crossed briefly over Mick's face to be replaced with a small impish grin. _The only person you're ever going to bite, is me, my love._ The thought was accompanied by a rise in his pheromones. She couldn't help but notice her own desire at the thought of biting him during lovemaking. _Maybe I could give it a try_.

At that, she bent over to sink her teeth into the flesh in his neck. A sharp intake of breath from Mick was all the warning she got before she too felt the bite on her neck. They were bound in a circle of blood and love, it would be forever different but forever it would be.

_-Finis-_


End file.
